Foul marker for use by football officials



Oct. 2, 1945.

1.. 1.. D. NICOLELLO FOUL MARKER FOR USE BY FOOTBALL OFFICIALS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed NOV. 15, 1944 Inventor l 6 uWEo/ //0 Oct. 2, 1945. 1.. L. n. NICOLELLO FOUL MARKER FOR USE BY FOOTBALL QFFICIALS 2 Shasta-sheer 2 Filed Nov. 15, 1944 Inventor w w M Z w Patented Oct. 2, 1945 UNITED YSTATES PATENT OFFICE FOUL MARKER FOR USE BY FOOTBALL OFFICIALS Louis L. D. Nicolello, Garwood, N. J.

- t 7, Application November 15, 1944, Serial No. 563,585

5 Claims.

This invention relates to What is believed to be a unique and an efiective foul marker for use, by officials in football games in satisfactorily designating the area or spot where a foul has occurred,

this when the customary Signalling horn has been sounded.

- Briefly, the marker is characterized by a collapsible fabric base of circular form provided With appropriately located weights, a staff rising vertically and centrally from the base and provided with a, foul indicating flag, these parts together with a conical fabric marker attached to the outer perimeter of'the'bas and slidably coacting with the staff. I

The object of the invention is to provide a simple and expedient flag-equipped, weighted marker of a size and type enabling same to be carried in a position in readiness for use in the oflicials pocket, the structure being foldable and compact for this purpose, but sufficiently weighted to quickly assume a self-standing position when dropped by, the oflicial on the spot where the foul ball leaves the playing field.

Other features and advantages will become more readily apparent from the following description and the accompanying illustrative drawings.

In the drawings, wherein like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout the views:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view showing the marker sitting, as it were, on the field at the chosen spot, in which position it serves in indieating and marking purposes.

Figure 2 is a perspective view with the canopylike marker in partly collapsed or folded state.

Figure 3 is a top view, the flag being removed,

- and portions of the base structure being broken away and shown in section to assist in bringing out the details of construction.

Figure 4 is a central vertical section through the lower or basal portion of the device,

Figure 5 is a perspective view showing the central weight and perpendicular staff or upright rising therefrom.

Figure 6 is a perspective view of one of the disclike pieces of fabric or leather used in the laminated base proper.

Referring now to Figure 4, it will be seen that the circular base is generally denoted by the numeral 1. This is of appropriate material and may be thin plies of leather or fabric. The inner ply is indicated at 8 and the bottom or outer ply at 9. These are stitched together in the central region, as indicated at ID, to define a pocket which accommodates the main or central weight ll.

This weight is provided with an upstanding stafi or upright I2 which, in practice, is some nine or ten inches in height. The marginal edge portions of the'plies 8 and 9 are also stitched to provide additional pockets, these to accommodate circumferentially spaced smaller weights I3. The central weight'l [provides the primary seat, but the auxiliary weights l3 assist in sustaining the marker, as a unit, firmly on the ground. There is sufficient flexibility in the weighted bottom as thus constructed to accommodate irregularities and to conform to the surface.-- Also, the idea-of using the marginal weights is to permit themarginal weights to be folded upwardly and inwardly toward the staff so' that the base can bes'ufliciently collapsed to be placed in ones pocket.

The canopy-like or conical marker proper is denoted by the numeral [4. This is preferably made up of alternate red and white V-shaped,

pieces I5 and I6 suitably stitched together. The lower edge portions of said pieces [5 and I6 are stitched between the outer marginal edges of the two plies 8 and 9, as indicated at H in Figure 4. The upper ends of the pieces converge and are formed with a hem l8 containing a sliding ring l9 which is shiftable up and down on the intermediate portion of the staff or upright [2. The upright is provided on its upper end with a red and white signal or foul flag 20. r

The need for an article such as this for an official is apparent. Uniformity is needed in officiating, and this will eliminate the use of any other marker, such as a handkerchief, which time after time is inadvertently picked'up by a player, he having assumed that the ofiicial lost it rather than knowing that a fou1 has been marked,

This item, when dropped from the pocket onto the ground, is colorful and easily visible by the members in the press box, the radio announcers and. the spectators, and can be recognized as the uniform item that a foul has been called on the field of play.

When a player sees this, he will know that he is not to touch it and that it is there to signify the spot at which a foul occurred during the play.

The weights also cause the base to quickly pancake, by gravity, to the ground, thereby holding the flag upright, and making it clearly visible to all.

Then, too, the weights will eliminate any possibility of having the wind blow the marker from the spot in which it was placed by hand.

As before indicated, the weighted conical or canopy-like base can be grasped conveniently and collapsed into a comparatively small package so that it can be easily slipped into the pocket of the oflicial and placed in readiness for use Whenever necessary or desired. Upon calling a foul and running to the spot of the foul, the official takes the foul marker from his pocket and lets it dropon .the spot of the foul so that it assumes the position shown in Figure 1.

The base has been conveniently referred to as of laminated, collapsible, weighted, circular form and the conical jacket has been referred toas the marker proper. merely to distinguish from the signalling flag atop the stafi.

A careful consideration of the foregoing description in conjunction with the invention as illustrated in the drawings will enable the reader to obtain a clear understanding and impression of the alleged features of merit and novelty sufficient to clarify the construction of the inventionas hereinafter claimed.

Minor change in shape, size, materials and rearrangement of parts may be resorted to in actual practice so long; as no departure is made from the invention asclaimed.

Iclaim: a 7 we 1; A-.-f ou1 marker for use, on football fields comprising a base, a stafi rising therefrom, and a signalling, flag of a predetermined type mounted atop the staff, together with a companion marker, vividly colored, attached to the base and coacting with thestaff. V i

. 2. A foul marker for use on football fields comprising a base; a staffrising therefrom, and a signalling flag of a predetermined type mounted These expressions are used atop the staff, together with a companion marker, vividly colored, attached to the base and coacting with the staff, said marker being of substantially conical formation.

3. A foul marker for use by officials on football fields comprising a flexible circular base, a central main weight of disc-like form embodied in said base, a staff attached to and rising from said weight, said staff being, adapted to accommodate a flag, and a' plurality of auxiliary and complemental weights embodied in said base.

4. A foul marker for use by oflicials on football fields comprising a flexible circular base, a central main weight of disc-like form embodied in said base, a staff attached to and rising from said weight, said staff being adapted to accom modate a flag, and a plurality of auxiliary and complemental weights embodied in said base together with a canopy-like jacket attached at its bottom to the base and having its upper end provided with an eye slidably embracing them)- right.

5. A foul, marker for use by oificials on football fields comprising a flexible circular base, a central'main'weight of disc-like form embodied in said base, a staff attached to and rising from said weight, said staff being adapted to accommodate a flag, and a plurality of auxiliary and complemental Weights embodied in said base, to.- gether with acanopy-like jacket attached, at, its bottom to the base and having its upper end provided with an eyeslidably embracing the 111 right, the jacket being-made up of alternate red and white complemental sections.

LOUIS L. D. NICOLELLO'. 

